Old Pram

It was only an old Silver Cross pram And it had to go Gathering dust in the loft from the 60’s And the loft was being converted So the navy blue and silver pram had to go First stop was the garage Its chrome chassis gleaming still Its carriage carefully polythened up Its wheels as perfect as ever Its springs nodding as if to say ‘We’re as good as new you know’ i know they do not make prams like this anymore But we had nowhere to put this, beautiful, elegant, Stately, safe for babies, easy to push….pram! And nobody will want it in this designer, fashion freak age Of throwaway. throwaway …everything. I have to say it is sad to throw away this pram. Its carriage so full of memories Tiny hands grasping at air Tucked in and warm with mittens and bonnets Tins and bottles rattling below on the shopping shelf But it had to go. I took it to the tip this morning Light rain falling Like putting an old dog down It had to be done Instead of slinging it in the container I said to the attendant ‘A lovely old fashioned pram here’ I left it on the side And drove away written in 1999 neil mawdsley